Method and System for Generating a Replay Video

Abstract

A plurality of cameras are controlled to follow a common moving target in a three dimensional environment such that each camera generates a video feed comprising a plurality of video segments captured sequentially. Each video segment comprises a static image of the target at a respective point in time. A resulting video is generated by selecting a sequence of video segments which may include video segments from different cameras and at the same or different points in time to create various video effects. The recorded video segments are categorized for later recall according to camera identification and point in time to allow for instantaneous recall for producing video replays from a variety of camera angles during a live event. Auxiliary video segments can be computer generated for insertion between video segments captured by the cameras for smoothing the appearance of the resulting video.

1 . A method of producing a resulting video of an event in a target environment, the method comprising:
 providing a plurality of cameras directed at a common target in the target environment;   generating a video feed from each camera comprising a sequence of video segments over time, in which each video segment comprises a static image in the sequence at a respective point in time;   associating segment data with each video segment, said segment data including time step data representing the point in time when the video segment was generated and camera identification data representing the camera from which the video segment is generated;   recording the video segments and the associated segment data onto a storage device;   categorizing the video segments on the storage device according to the associated segment data;   selecting a selected sequence of the video segments to be used in the resulting video to be generated;   recalling the selected sequence of the video segments from the storage device by identifying the segment data associated therewith; and   assembling the selected sequence of the video segments into the resulting video.   
   
   
       2 . The method according to  claim 1  including recording and categorizing the video segments in a realtime, instantaneous manner. 
   
   
       3 . The method according to  claim 1  including assembling the selected sequence into the resulting video instantaneously upon recordation of the video segments of the selected sequence. 
   
   
       4 . (canceled) 
   
   
       5 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein at least one pair of adjacent ones of the video segments of the selected sequence forming the resulting video comprises video segments which are generated from adjacent ones of the cameras. 
   
   
       6 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein at least one pair of adjacent ones of the video segments of the selected sequence forming the resulting video comprises video segments which are generated at a common point in time. 
   
   
       7 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the camera identification data includes camera position data and camera orientation data. 
   
   
       8 . (canceled) 
   
   
       9 . (canceled) 
   
   
       10 . (canceled) 
   
   
       11 . (canceled) 
   
   
       12 . (canceled) 
   
   
       13 . The method according to  claim 1  including selecting and assembling video segments according to segment data criteria and providing a user interface comprising a graphical representation of the video segments categorized according to both time step data and camera identification data selecting the segment data criteria graphically using the user interface. 
   
   
       14 . The method according to  claim 1  including selecting and assembling video segments according to segment data criteria, wherein the segment data criteria is automatically determined by an automated controller. 
   
   
       15 . (canceled) 
   
   
       16 . (canceled) 
   
   
       17 . (canceled) 
   
   
       18 . The method according to  claim 1  including redirecting the cameras to follow a moving target in the target environment. 
   
   
       19 . (canceled) 
   
   
       20 . The method according to  claim 1  including orienting each camera relative to adjacent ones of the cameras such that each video segment generated by each camera generally approximates an image interpolated between video segments generated by the adjacent ones of the cameras at the same point in time. 
   
   
       21 . The method according to  claim 1  including identifying a location of each camera in relation to the target environment; identifying location of the target in relation to the target environment; calculating the operational instructions for each camera using the location of the camera and the location of the target relative to the target environment such that the operational instructions are arranged to orient the direction of video capture of the camera towards the target; orienting each camera to capture video of the target using the operational instructions; and recalculating the operational instructions for each camera each time the location of the target relative to the target environment changes to follow the target as the target is displaced within the target environment. 
   
   
       22 . The method according to  claim 21  including identifying the location of each camera by focusing the cameras on a three dimensional target object and analyzing a two dimensional image captured by each camera to determine the relative position of the camera to the three dimensional target object. 
   
   
       23 . The method according to  claim 22  including varying the location of the target using a control device comprising a user controllable master camera having a video feed which defines the location of the target and calculating the operational instructions for the plurality of cameras such that the plurality of cameras follow the location of the target defined by the master camera. 
   
   
       24 . The method according to  claim 23  wherein the control device includes a controller comprising a movable display arranged for displaying the video feed from the master camera and a position encoding device arranged for displacing the master camera responsive to corresponding displacement of the moveable display. 
   
   
       25 . The method according to  claim 21  including providing a plurality of servers, each arranged to convert the location of the target to the operational instructions for a plurality of the cameras. 
   
   
       26 . (canceled) 
   
   
       27 . The method according to  claim 1  including interpolating between an adjacent pair of the video segments in the selected sequence to produce an auxiliary video segment and assembling the selected sequence of the video segments and the auxiliary video segment together into the resulting video. 
   
   
       28 . (canceled) 
   
   
       29 . (canceled) 
   
   
       30 . (canceled) 
   
   
       31 . (canceled) 
   
   
       32 . (canceled) 
   
   
       33 . (canceled) 
   
   
       34 . (canceled) 
   
   
       35 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the plurality of cameras supported circumferentially about the target environment. 
   
   
       36 . (canceled) 
   
   
       37 . (canceled) 
   
   
       38 . (canceled) 
   
   
       39 . A method of controlling a plurality of cameras to capture a target within a target environment, the method comprising:
 positioning the plurality of cameras within the target environment;   arranging each camera to be movable in orientation to vary a direction of video capture of the camera in response to operational instructions;   identifying a location of each camera in relation to the target environment;   identifying location of the target in relation to the target environment;   calculating the operational instructions for each camera using the location of the camera and the location of the target relative to the target environment such that the operational instructions are arranged to orient the direction of video capture of the camera towards the target;   orienting each camera to capture video of the target using the operational instructions; and   recalculating the operational instructions for each camera each time the location of the target relative to the target environment changes to follow the target as the target is displaced within the target environment.   
   
   
       40 . (canceled) 
   
   
       41 . The method according to  claim 39  including orienting each camera relative to adjacent ones of the cameras such that each video segment generated by each camera generally approximates an image interpolated between video segments generated by the adjacent ones of the cameras at the same point in time. 
   
   
       42 . (canceled) 
   
   
       43 . (canceled) 
   
   
       44 . (canceled) 
   
   
       45 . (canceled) 
   
   
       46 . (canceled) 
   
   
       47 . A method of producing a resulting video of an event in a target environment, the method comprising:
 providing a plurality of cameras directed at a common target in the target environment;   generating a video feed from each camera comprising a sequence of video segments over time, in which each video segment comprises a static image in the sequence at a respective point in time;   recording the video segments onto a storage device;   selecting a selected sequence of the video segments to be used in the resulting video to be produced;   interpolating between an adjacent pair of video segments in the selected sequence to produce an auxiliary video segment; and   assembling the selected sequence of the video segments and the auxiliary video segment into the resulting video.   
   
   
       48 . (canceled) 
   
   
       49 . (canceled)